Circle of Life

02/07/2026

What seems impossible is unfolding in University Med-Tech Hubs where mental health is treated via the gut. Scientists have identified specific "Psychobiotic" strains that produce high levels of serotonin and dopamine directly in the intestine. 90% of trial participants reported a complete remission of depressive symptoms after just 4 weeks of daily ingestion.

These bio-engineered bacteria colonize the gut lining and communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve, naturally correcting chemical imbalances. This represents a paradigm shift from treating the brain to treating the microbiome, offering a side-effect-free solution to a global mental health crisis.

02/04/2026

Being cheated on can lead to long-term anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and PTSD because it is a profound psychological trauma often referred to as Post-Infidelity Stress Disorder (PISD). Infidelity shatters a person’s sense of trust, emotional safety, and self-worth. This betrayal activates a prolonged fight-or-flight response, producing hypervigilance, intrusive thoughts, and neurochemical changes similar to those seen in addiction withdrawal.
🗂️ Why these symptoms develop:
📑 PTSD (Post Infidelity Stress Disorder): Discovering an affair can function as a traumatic event. Many individuals experience flashbacks, nightmares, emotional volatility, and intense distress resembling classic PTSD symptoms.
📑 Chronic anxiety and hypervigilance: The loss of trust forces the brain into constant threat detection, leading to compulsive monitoring behaviors and persistent anxiety.
📑 Insomnia and sleep disturbance: Repetitive rumination and emotional shock prevent the nervous system from fully resting, disrupting normal sleep patterns.
📑 Chronic pain and physical effects: Ongoing emotional stress raises cortisol levels, contributing to muscle tension, headaches, and widespread body pain.
📑 Biological disruption: Infidelity alters attachment and reward pathways in the brain, lowering dopamine and oxytocin and creating withdrawal like emotional symptoms.

02/04/2026

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound that helps the body reduce oxidative stress by boosting levels of glutathione, one of the body’s main natural defenses against inflammation. In a study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, researchers evaluated NAC in women with ovarian endometriosis.

The study followed 120 women who took NAC 600 mg three times daily for 3 consecutive days each week over a 3-month period. Results showed significant reductions in endometriosis-related pain, ovarian endometrioma (cyst) size, and CA-125 inflammation levels, along with reduced use of pain medications. Among women attempting pregnancy, 75% conceived naturally within 6 months. The treatment was well tolerated, with no reported side effects.

PMID: 36981595

02/03/2026

Recent research is finally bridging the historical “gender gap” in medicine, uncovering that the female body operates with unique biological mechanisms rather than just being a variation of the male norm.

1. The “Xist” Breakthrough in Autoimmunity:

🗂️Scientists have long known that roughly 80% of autoimmune disease patients are women, but they didn’t know why. A 2024 landmark study found that Xist, a molecule only produced in female cells to manage X chromosomes, forms “oddball” protein complexes that can trigger a massive immune attack. This discovery provides a concrete biological target for new diagnostic tests and therapies.

2. The Brain-Cycle Connection: New neuroscience research shows that the menstrual cycle “dramatically reshapes” the brain every month.

🗂️Structural Changes: Hormonal fluctuations affect brain regions governing memory, emotion, and behavior.

🗂️Alzheimer’s Risk: Menopause is now viewed as a “critical window” for brain aging, with new initiatives like the CARE Initiative investigating why women are more susceptible to Alzheimer’s.

3. Redefining Heart Health & Menopause

🗂️Invisible Symptoms: Research confirms that women often experience heart attacks without chest pain, instead feeling nausea or shortness of breath, which frequently leads to misdiagnosis.

🗂️Hormone Therapy: In 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) removed long-standing “black box” warnings on hormone replacement therapy (HRT), acknowledging that previous fears were often based on misunderstood data.

🗂️New Tools: The first “cellular atlas” of the human o***y was mapped in 2024, allowing doctors to understand reproductive aging at a single-cell level for the first time.

Continued in comments.

01/25/2026

01/24/2026

01/24/2026

Get off dat ass after eating...I lowered my blood glucose by 25% with a 15 min post-meal walk. This is good.

Spiked blood glucose is bad.

Other things to keep in mind:
1) Post-meal activity is superior to a pre-meal activity. Post-meal lowered Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) by 11%, along with reductions in both fasting and post-meal glucose. The single pre-breakfast walk showed no significant reductions.

2) A 10 min post meal activity is superior to a single 30-minute daily walk. The post-meal strategy lowered the 3-hour post-meal glucose elevation (incremental AUC) by 12% overall and by 22% specifically after the evening meal, which typically contains the most carbohydrates and is followed by the most sedentary behavior.

Among obese, inactive older adults (above 60), both a 15-minute post-meal walk and a sustained 45-minute morning walk significantly improved glucose control, lowering average blood glucose by 10% and 7%, respectively. Post-meal walking was particularly effective, outperforming morning walking in lowering 3-hour post-dinner glucose.

The goal for metabolic health is small, smooth, and prolonged post-meal glucose rises, not sharp spikes.

Glucose spikes trigger intense insulin surges that fuel insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction. They also accelerate aging and vascular damage by amplifying oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and inflammatory signaling. In contrast, smoother glucose curves support healthier lipid metabolism and metabolic flexibility.

Minimizing peaks also reduces protein glycation and the formation of Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs), thereby lowering cumulative tissue damage and supporting a longer healthspan. Moreover, rapid glucose swings lead to reactive lows that promote hunger, cravings, and a loss of appetite control, while stable glucose levels help maintain satiety.

01/15/2026

01/13/2026

New research shows exercise is as effective as medication at reducing symptoms of depression. And you don't need to run a marathon to see benefits. So how much is enough?

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! ✨️ January openings below⬇️ Our hearts are incredibly full here at Mountainside as we shift into 2026! Thank you for being a part of our community as we grow and evolve year after year. This is a friendly reminder that we do have an increase in our rates for services as of Jan 1st.
Here's our availability for the month ahead:
🎆Sat 1 /3
Dan - 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
🎆Mon 1/5
Zoe - 10:30
🎆Wed 1/7
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 6:30
🎆Fri 1/9
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
🎆Sun 1/11
Zoe - 3:00
🎆Tues 1/13
Megan - 2:30
🎆Wed 1/14
Zoe - 9:00, 1:30
Megan - 9:30 (30min only), 12:30
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 6:30
🎆Thurs 1/15
Megan - 2:00, 3:30
🎆Fri 1/16
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
🎆Sat 1/17
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
🎆Tues 1/20
Megan - 2:30
🎆Wed 1/21
Megan - 9:30, 1:00
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 6:30
Zoe - 3:00, 4:30
🎆Thurs 1/22
Zoe - 8:00
🎆Fri 1/23
Megan - 9:30, 10:30
Zoe - 11:00
🎆Mon 1/26
Zoe - 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 1:00
🎆Tues 1/27
Zoe - 10:30, 12:00, 1:00
🎆Wed 1/28
Zoe - 9:00, 10:30, 12:00, 1:30, 3:00, 4:30
Megan - 9:30, 11:00, 12:30
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 6:30
🎆Thurs 1/29
Zoe. 8:00, 9:30, 11:00, 12:30
Megan - 2:00, 3:30, 5:00, 6:30
🎆Fri 1/30
Zoe - 9:00, 12:00 (30min only)
Megan - 9:30, 11:00
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
🎆Sat 1/3
Dan - 2:30, 4:00, 5:30, 7:00
~
Contact us today!
📞 802-440-2513
📧Mountainsidetm@gmail.com
📍Pownal, VT